February 18th - On This Date - Royal Australian Navy

1915

The flagship pennant of the Second Battle Cruiser Squadron was hoisted in HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), at Rosyth, Scotland.

1917

SBLT R. S. Dallas, an Australian serving with the RNAS, shot down a German Aviatik aircraft over France. Dallas was flying a Sopwith triplane.

1940

HMAS HOBART, (cruiser), embarked eight Midshipmen at Aden for transfer to the battleship HMS RAMILLIES. One of the midshipmen was HRH Prince Philip of Greece, later to become the Duke of Edinburgh.

1942

Waves of Japanese aircraft bombed a convoy escorted by HMA Ships SWAN, WARREGO, VOYAGER, ARMIDALE, and CASTLEMAINE, in the Timor Sea. Despite the concerted attack the convoy reached Koepang, (Dutch Timor), with urgent supplies and troop reinforcements. HMAS VENDETTA, (destroyer), left Tanjong Priok under tow by HMAS PING WO, for Fremantle, WA. HMA Ships MARYBOROUGH, BENDIGO, BALLARAT, BURNIE, GOULBURN, and TOOWOOMBA, (corvettes), were set up as an auxiliary naval patrol, by CDRE J. Collins, RAN, in Sunda Strait. Survivors from HMS KUALA were rescued from Pompong Island, Rhio Straits, by the ex Japanese fishing boat KOFUKO MARU. This vessel was commanded by an Australian Merchant Navy Officer, Bill Reynolds. KOFUKO MARU was later to be used by Z Special Force, and was renamed KRAIT. HMAS BURNIE, (corvette), landed parties to carry out demolitions at Oosthaven, Java. The ship later bombarded port installations, oil tanks, ammunition dumps and the bridge to Tanjon Karang.

1944

ADML Royle, (First Naval Member), accompanied by Mr. Essington Lewis, (Director General of Munitions), boarded HMAS WARRAMUNGA at Milne Bay for a front-line tour of Buna, Langemak, and Lae.

1949

HMAS SHOALHAVEN, (frigate), relieved HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (destroyer), of occupation duties in the Far East. The handover took place at Shanghai, China. She then proceeded to Kure, Japan to operate with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force, but later returned to Shanghai on 24 March

1968

HM Ships DEVONSHIRE, EURYALUS, DIDO, and ZEST, of the Far East Fleet, arrived at Sydney on a goodwill visit.

'On This Day' is based on the book "Navy Day by Day: Historic Naval Events in Australia and Abroad" written by the late Lew Lind